Send to a friendCan Sen. Orrin Hatch beat the tea party?

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Ken FeltmanPast president; International Association of Political Consultants :

The tea party is here to stay. But that does not mean that Sen. Orrin Hatch will lose tomorrow. He has taken the challenge seriously. If his supporters turn out, Hatch will prevail. His opponent's supporters are eager to vote.

Gradually, often unreported, tea party people are moving into positions of leadership in local and state Republican organizations. That will bring real change to the GOP and the type candidates who can secure a Republican nomination. Utah Senator Bob Bennett was ambushed by a tea party challenge two years ago. Alerted, Hatch did his homework. But perhaps Hatch would not have been able to beat back a more organized tea party challenge from within as well as from outside the GOP. In fact, perhaps Hatch is fortunate that he is up for reelection this year, before the Utah GOP is changed even more by the tea party.

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